fitness

After drinking too much the night before, we realize the chances you'll want to work out in the morning are slim. But there's a school of thought that a good sweat-fest can help work the hangover out and make you feel much better—assuming you want to hit the gym in that condition. So, should you lace up your sneakers? Or stay hidden under the covers? We turned to Donald Hensrud, M.D., medical director of the Mayo Clinic Healthy Living Program, to find out the best course of action. "It’s probably not a good idea to work out with a hangover. Think of it as being ‘ill,' similar to a sickness. Your body is trying to feel better and needs rest, fluids (not more alcohol!), appropriate nutrition, and a tincture of time to recover." There you have it. And even if you're one of the rare people who enjoys a work out when hungover, Dr. Hensrud says, "Exercise places some additional stresses on the body when recovering from a hangover. For example, if you are dehydrated, sweating while exercising could make the dehydration even worse." Next time you plan a night out, plan to stay ahead of the hangover (especially if read more

Joe and Janet Williams are both members of Defined Fitness gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they work out at least three times a week, according to local reports. Through their health plan, they're involved in the SilverSneakers program (the program motto: Get Fit Your Way), which encourages and helps seniors to stay healthy and active. Because of their prime participation in the program, Joe and Janet are finalists for a national accolade: this year's Richard L. Swanson Inspiration Award! What could be cuter? Did that brighten your day? We can't get enough of these two. Here's hoping that we're all still moving and grooving around (not to mention happily married) when we're seniors. If you want to help Joe and Janet win the award, go vote for them here. In the mean time, who wants to work out? No excuses now! A few moves to try whenever you have seven free minutes this weekend: More from Glamour: read more

There are plenty of hyped-up new workout pants, clothes, and shoes but rarely an item that really changes the game. This week, we've found three fitness products that are truly exciting and a little bit different. Here's what's popular in the fitness world right now: 1. Shoes so advanced, they were banned from the NBA: Athletic Propulsion Lab Sneakers A photo posted by BANDIER (@bandierfit) on Jul 15, 2015 at 10:12am PDT After Adam and Ryan Goldston received a letter from the NBA that their performance-enhancing shoes were officially banned, they found massive success as a retail brand. Now seen in Saks, Intermix, and fashion shoots like the ModelfitxBandier feature above, APL sneakers are the hottest things in fitness right now. The shoes are designed to have a "propulsion effect" to increase running speed without requiring more energy. Not only that, but they're damn cute as a bonus. 2. A gym bag that looks way too luxe for sweaty clothes: The GymTote This fully functional, roomy gym bag brand hails from the U.K. and is now available stateside due to popular demand. It holds all your essentials—it even has a pouch to keep your sweaty sneaks separate. However, there's one read more

Let's face it: Spin class is kind of like its own ecosystem. Those who frequent cycling studios are like a subspecies of human, reveling in the exquisite pain of pushing those pedals and being a part of the pack. During your first jaunt, you can't help but think how funny, strange, and hard it is, but before you know it, you're incredibly motivated and have become one of those die-hards who approach cycling with an intensity and ardor that rivals only that of Beyoncé's Beyhive. Though you're keeping it cute on the outside, singing along to your favorite tunes and left-right-left-ing perfectly on the beat, you're thinking some pretty hilarious/terrible things to get you through it. We all are. Here are 15 common spin-class thoughts you know you've had. 1. "Did that girl just try to steal my bike? She must be a first-timer." 2. "I finally got into THE teacher's class and now there's a substitute?! I'm going to give the front desk major side-eye after class for this." 3. "This is my freaking jam! Oh, I'm about to own this sprint." 4. "It's 7:45 A.M. and this class is packed! Does no one sleep? Who are these people? read more

When we set a goal to lose weight or get in shape, we normally don’t have millions of people watching and keeping track. But that’s exactly what YouTube star Chrisspy deals with every day. Head over to her beauty channel, ChrisspyMakeup, and you’ll see she has more than one million subscribers—mostly girls who want to see her latest makeup transformation. Now, you’ll also find a sprinkling of her recent weight-loss journey. She’s lost 40 pounds (and wants to lose 20 more!), and she’s happy to share what she’s learned so far, including a full body workout with her trainer. Why did you decide it was time to get in shape? “One day I realized things had gotten out of control. I had gained over 50 pounds and it was time to change.” Do you feel like having a large social media following adds some pressure to constantly look good? “Yes, social media can add pressure to constantly look good. I deal with people calling me fat all the time on the Internet.You learn to have a thick skin. When I started speaking publicly about my weight-loss goals, I didn't know that it would actually help me feel more comfortable in read more

It may be unpleasant to smell someone else's sweat, but here's a fun fact: If the offending person is happy, there's a chance his sweaty scent can have a positive effect on you too. At least that's what a recent study shows. Researchers at Utrecht University in the Netherlands knew from previous studies that negative emotions could be transferred by scent via "chemosignals," so they wanted to know if the opposite emotion could be conveyed too. They gathered 12 men and showed them movies that either incited fear or happiness in them, along with a control group that was shown neutral scenes. They collected sweat samples from each men by placing pads under their arms, and afterward, had a group of 36 women smell vials with the scent of the pads. (Gross, we know!) By measuring the facial expressions prompted by each vial, the researchers were able to conclude the women smiled more when they smelled the sweat of the happy men, than when they smelled the sweat of those who watched a neutral clip. And while more research should be done since it was such a small group, it's still comforting to know the smell of a packed spin read more

The strange "stomach vacuum" thing you've been hearing about this week? It's real. It's an exercise, but it's not an attractive exercise: You breath out, removing the air from your stomach while tightening your abs and sucking them up and under your rib cage. Once you're there, the goal is to hold in place to strengthen the transversus abdominis, otherwise known as the muscles behind your (real or theoretical) six-pack (yes, those exist). You can imagine what that looks like, right? Not pretty, and borderline creepy. But it doesn't stop fitness fanatics and weight-lifters from using the technique. It's been around for years and continues to grow in popularity because users swear by the results. "These exercises DO work because you are holding the abs in tension for an extended period of time," says fitness expert and creator of the Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp, Ariane Hundt. But it isn't as easy as just sucking in your stomach a few times a week. She says you have to already be in shape to see real results. "Doing ab exercises alone will never create a six-pack," says Hundt. "Being able to see the abs is the result of a clean diet, which read more

A friend recently told me she thinks the elliptical is a joke because she never breaks a sweat on it. And I feel the same way. If I want a quick cardio workout at the gym, my go-to piece of equipment is the treadmill. It’s a guaranteed sweat-fest if you run for 20 minutes or more, so it must be superior to the elliptical, right? But that’s not what Equinox West Hollywood fitness manager Kenzee Hobson says. Her preference is the elliptical (spoiler alert). Read on to see why. “I know some of us love our running, but truth be told, the elliptical is much easier on your joints,” she says. “Additionally, it allows you to engage your upper body with structure if you choose to use the moving arms.” And for those of us who think it’s hard to break a sweat on the elliptical, she has one simple tip: increase the resistance. More resistance = more effort = more calories burned. To get started on an elliptical, Hobson says to aim for 20 minutes and to create a playlist that consists of fun, upbeat music with different paces to create your own intervals. For example, one of her read more

In Nike's company mission statement it says: "If you have a body, you are an athlete." Recently the company showed just how seriously it takes this assertion by creating a new shoe called the Flyease—which incorporates a wraparound zipper that not only eliminates the need for shoelaces but makes it easier for people who have mobility challenges to put the sneaker on and take it off. The Flyease was inspired by Matthew Walzer, who has cerebral palsy and, when graduating high school and planning on leaving home and going to college, faced the concern that he would have to rely on roommates, friends, and classmates to help him tie his shoes. "My dream is to go to the college of my choice without having to worry about someone coming to tie my shoes every day," Walzer told Nike. "I've worn Nike basketball shoes all my life. I can only wear this type of shoe, because I need ankle support to walk. At 16 years old, I am able to completely dress myself, but my parents still have to tie my shoes. As a teenager who is striving to become totally self-sufficient, I find this extremely frustrating and, at times, embarrassing." read more

Sure, there are all sorts of active adventures to go on this summer, but chances are, you're going to spend your vacation at the pool or beach with a cocktail in your hand instead. It's hard to fit workouts into typical travel plans, whether you're on the road to relax or for work. But if you're going to be in a bikini and want to maintain your abs throughout your trip, many experts recommend you squeeze at least 10 minutes of exercise into your day no matter where you are. These packable products will make it super easy. 1. Resistance Bands You can pick one up on the cheap from any health-and-fitness or sports store (including your local Target or Walmart). Not sure where to start? This Restore Strength and Flexibility Kit from Gaiam includes three bands that come in varying resistance levels. The kit comes with a detailed exercise guide to help you use them, and there are tons of tutorial videos online. The best part is, these resistance bands are super light and fold up to fit in the palm of your hand, so they don't take any room up in your bag. 2. Jump Rope You can read more

You've got blocks and straps to help you inch your way into super-tough poses, but even those tools can't work miracles. Enter TRX—you know, the suspension cables trainers use to take bodyweight moves up a notch. We talked with Shauna Harrison, the San Francisco-area yoga instructor and Under Armour athlete who helped develop a new TRX yoga program. She shares a few ways these adjustable bands can complement various yoga poses and help elevate your practice. 1. Perfect Your Form "I’m a huge stickler for form and for learning alignment basics before progressing," says Harrison. "It’s much harder to break bad habits than it is to take the time to learn correctly from the beginning. Getting into a pose with the TRX can help you learn to transfer your weight to the correct areas and get into each position correctly." 2. Support Your Inversions "The idea of TRX with yoga is that you use it as a tool or a prop much like the props we already use in yoga classes, such as blocks and straps," explains Harrison. "I love it for poses like handstands, forearm stands, and arm balances. If you aren't quite there yet—or far from it—the TRX read more

Leave the Botox, face-lifts, and fillers to the celebs. The secret to staying forever young is as simple as getting your sweat on, says new research from the University of Maryland. Scientists looked at more than 4,200 older people who exercise on the reg and determined their "fitness age"—that describes how old they are in relation to their aerobic fitness. What they found: On average, being athletic kept the people a whopping 25 years younger than their chronological age. That's crazy, right? Even the study authors were shocked by the incredible difference exercise can make. The participants were all qualifiers for the Senior Olympics and were at least 50 years old. They weren't pro athletes by any means, but they do stick to frequent training plans. Researchers aren't sure yet whether sport choice matters—say, if endurance racers are in the best shape—but they plan to study the stats more closely to find out. It's been said many times that "abs are made in the kitchen" and looking good is largely about what you eat. But according to this study, lacing up your sneaks and working up a sweat is the way to go if staying forever young is your goal read more

We like tracking devices, especially when it comes to our health. We track our exercise, our sleep patterns, and our diet. But there hasn't been a device to track the most essential element in our bodies: water. That's about to change with HidrateMe—a smart water bottle that syncs with your phone to track your daily water intake. It even glows to remind you when it's time to drink up! All you have to do is set your hydration goal and it goes to work. And since it can also sync to your fitness trackers and apps, it adjusts to the amount of energy you exert, and even different climates. Plus, it comes in a sleek design that actually looks like a water bottle instead of a high-tech device. The best part is, people actually want it. HidrateMe is still just a Kickstarter campaign, in essence, but with less than a month to go, the campaign has already surpassed its goal. The founders requested $35,000 to start production, and last I checked, they had more than $360,000. That's a lot of people who want to see this product made. Take a closer look with this video, and remember, there's still time read more

Treadmill desks have been gaining popularity again among women with offices—and deep pockets. And while they definitely can help increase your physical activity at the office, a recent study shows that they have one major drawback: decreased productivity. We found eight less distracting items to add to your office (or cubicle) if you're looking to stay active and lose weight this summer. 1. Keep a scale under your desk. And we highly suggest you make it a smart scale. Step on the Withings smart body analyzer, $149.95, when you walk into work, then peruse its collected data—your weight and body fat measurements, Body Mass Index, pulse, air quality, weight history, and more—as you go through your work-related emails. The scale will use your office’s Wi-Fi to send stats directly to your inbox! 2. Swap your office chair for a stability ball. Balancing on a blown-up ball engages your core and back, but more important, it keeps you moving, says Heather Milton, MS, clinical exercise physiologist at the Center for Musculoskeletal Care at NYU Langone Medical Center. “You’re shifting more than when you’re simply sitting in a chair, which keeps you from being completely sedentary,” she explains. Consider splurging on Gaiam’s read more

You take a chance when you ride a bike or run at night. Mostly because you never know if the driver of a car will see you. But for busy people, sometimes you just have to do it, whether it's to get your fitness in or if cycling happens to be your transportation of choice. That's why Volvo has a solution (at least the automaker hopes it's one). Recently, the Swedish car company collaborated with paint makers Albedo100 to release Life Paint—a spray-on reflective paint that happens to be invisible in daylight but makes a person (or object) easy to see at night. You can use it to make any surface reflective for up to a week, even shoes and clothing, and it washes off without any damage. So far, it's been released only in limited batches at bike shops in the U.K., but if the campaign goes well, the company plans to release it internationally. Until that happens, you can always get overpriced bottles of it on eBay, because of course, it's already listed there. Check out the video below to see how it works! Do you think Life Paint would make your evening bike rides or runs safer? read more

Believe it or not, it’s been almost a decade since we first heard Fergie trill out “G-L-A-M-O-R-O-U-S” on her debut solo album, The Dutchess. The album was a risk— it was her first since her break from the Black Eyed Peas—but went on to sell millions and even earned a Grammy nomination for one of its songs. Thankfully, we’re in for another round of Fergie-approved anthems with her highly anticipated sophomore album. We got a taste of the part-Latina’s new moves, music, and yes, killer body during her American Music Awards appearance last November. The 40-year-old’s life is looking pretty freakin’ good: Her career is once again taking off, and she has a ridiculously beautiful and supportive family by her side. She shares her outlook with us here. GLAM BELLEZA LATINA: You and husband Josh Duhamel had son Axl in 2013, and your body looks incredible. Tell us: How? FERGIE: After my pregnancy I took private dance classes for months to get movement back into my body. We built a dance studio in our house—it’s the best gift I’ve ever given myself! I didn’t want to be awkward and embarrassed in front of people, so I worked the kinks out read more

You might know Wende Zomnir as the face and brains behind your favorite eyeshadow palette or primer, but what most people don't know is that the Urban Decay cosmetics founder's below-the-neck game is just as strong. This mom of two is a healthy living pro with such a killer body that we put the makeup talk aside for a second to find out her fitness secrets. Read on for a few of them: Glamour: Tell us a little bit about your diet. Wende Zomnir: "I try to eat as many veggies and salads as possible. My favorite protein to supplement that is clean-sourced fish, and I also eat fruit and nuts. My go-to snacks are those squeezable packets of almond butter. My vice is a couple of long espressos every day (OK I drink three a day!). I avoid bread, pasta, sugar, alcohol and things (things, not food, being the operative word!) that come in bags and boxes." Glamour: Does that mean you don't eat dessert?! "For a treat, I try to have a little dark chocolate or a cup of this amazing raw, fermented yogurt that my friend Yasmin makes for her shop, Fermentation Farm. Speaking of fermentation, I also read more

In honor of the imminent release of Magic Mike XXL (in theaters July 1), Channing Tatum took to the Internet for a no-holds-barred Reddit AMA this afternoon. Here are seven fun facts we learned about the Magic Mike star, including his philosophies on diet and exercise—though we're not sure how his favorite sandwiches factor in there... His favorite Disney character? "I like the broom from Fantasia." The Channing Tatum Guide to Staying in Shape: "If you eat it and it makes you happy you probably shouldn't have it. And if you do it and it sucks you're probably doing the right thing. But you can't have one with out the other. A lot of people just work out and don't actually diet and they wonder why they aren't getting the results they want, and some people do the exact opposite and wonder the same thing. I really think you have to do both." His favorite pizza toppings: "Pepperoni and cheese. I'm not a very adventurous eater. I like what I like and stick to it." Except when it comes to sandwiches: "Bread, white. Peanut butter, not crunchy, creamy. Grape jelly, double portion, more than you think should actually fit on read more

Caroline Gogolak and Katie Warner Johnson are two Harvard-educated ballerinas who ended up in the fashion and fitness industries, respectively. The two synched up to start Carbon38, the go-to online retailer for niche fitness brands with a strong fashion focus. We tapped this very tapped-in healthy duo to share their favorite fitness trends, diet tips, and workouts with us. Check back here for more advice, tips, and healthy tricks. One of the major perks of running an active-wear company is getting an early preview of the next big trends. Some of our favorite brands have been using some nontraditional fabrics to give your wardrobe staples a unique update in their summer collections. Here are our top three favorite fabric trends to look out for this summer: Mesh: Summer is all about staying cool while looking sexy, and nothing does that better than mesh. Whether you want to stay covered up with a sexy mesh detail in a pair of leggings, or show off your abs by layering a sports bra under an all-mesh hoodie or top, this trend is a head-turning way to show off your best assets. Two brands that are really taking this trend to the next level read more